Category Archives: Physics demos

I recently participated again in the annual UNCC Science and Technology Expo, showing off neat science demos to the public. This year, I decided to add a table of “Optics and Illusions,” to show how science and our own brains can … Continue reading →

I am a big fan of nature and science-themed artwork, whether inspired by natural phenomenon or created by physical processes. In my office — which includes several pieces of work by Artologica, by the way — I have the following eye-catching piece. … Continue reading →

This past week, thanks to Laughing Squid and other sources, a lot of people watched and were amazed by this simple demonstration of electromagnetism in action. It is billed as the “world’s simplest electric train,” and it is almost certainly … Continue reading →

I’m prepping a new course to teach this semester: undergraduate Electromagnetism II! I’m trying to put together some nice simple demos to illustrate principles in the class, and I’ll blog some of those that work and are interesting. When Michael … Continue reading →

Update: Fixed a couple of incorrect statements regarding cosmic rays and the radiation of uranium. Thanks to encephalartos for the corrections! In recent months, I’ve been diving wholeheartedly into learning how to build and design electronics. My ultimate goal is … Continue reading →

Some of the most spectacular physics demonstrations rely on surprisingly simple science. Throughout history, for instance, very simple optics has been used to great effect to terrify and amaze audiences (see, for instance, Robertson’s Phantasmagoria). I recently came across such … Continue reading →

Today I appeared on NBC Charlotte on “Larry’s Look” to promote our upcoming UNC Charlotte Science and Tech Expo and show off some science demos! You can check out the video at this link. Don’t ask me what I thought of … Continue reading →

Search Skulls in the Stars:

Search for:

The author of Skulls in the Stars is an associate professor of physics, specializing in optical science, at UNC Charlotte. The blog covers topics in physics and optics, the history of science, classic pulp fantasy and horror fiction, and the surprising intersections between these areas.